Yes, I experience what both of you are talking about. The school district SS's are in was stellar when I was growing up, but has really declined in quality ever since they had to start "teaching to the test." SS's both conveniently forget that they have homework until the last minute, too. I know they have time between getting out of school and coming over on Thursday nights to do their homework, but honestly, I just don't think their homework is that hard. SS10 also reads at an adult level...it's too bad he refuses to read outside of school and acts like it's punishment when I suggest it when he's bored. These two kids BEGGED their granparents for all the Harry Potter books, which they got in hardcover, and I think SS12 read maybe the first chapter in the first one. I hate to see books just sitting there gathering dust, maybe I'll read them, I haven't read any of the HP's yet. Maybe I should write a thank-you note to my in-laws for buying ME the entire HP series in hardcover.

I hate to say this, LPS, but I kind of agree with you. I remember having to work for things and earn them when I was a kid, and that's what made it satisfying when I DID win things or do well. If I didn't, sure I felt bad, but it motivated me to fix what I needed to fix and try again next time. I remember when everyone wasn't a winner, you had to work for your gifted status, or work to win the soccer championships, etc. Now they just give trophies for participating. I think it takes away from the satisfaction of obtaining things you really want. I guess I won't hold my breath about the homework, I'll just hope that high school will actually be a challenge. I mean, my theory is that college still doesn't play games, you have to work your ass off (and it hasn't been that long since I've been to college). What are these kids going to do when they DO have a ton of work at the university level? Essays aren't 3 pages long in college. I remember writing 25-30 page papers with at least 15-20 GOOD references. My final notebooks from grad school are the thickness of phone books. I feel like it's really setting these kids up for failure by letting them slide like this.

It's almost unfair how easy schoolwork is for SS10, but like I said, he's only book-smart. His street-smarts are in the negatives, and I think it takes both to really be successful. You can be a genius all you want, but if you screw up at work, or if they figure out that you completely lack motivation, you're gonna get fired and your g/t status won't help you. And like I said, even though people seem to think he's cute (I don't), that will only take you so far, too. You'd better be ready to back it up with substance, and he contributes nothing in that arena.